Phone scammers claim to be Montco sheriff's deputies

NORRISTOWN — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department is warning residents of a phone scam in which the caller identifies himself as a sheriff’s deputy.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, two county residents have reported receiving the fraudulent calls, although both caught on that it was a scam and did not give out any personal information.

The Montgomery County Detectives Bureau is investigating the calls, in which at least one male scammer with a heavy accent identifies himself as Deputy Thomas O’Brien from the Sheriff’s Department. The scammer reportedly says he is following up on charges against the victim and tells the victim to contact Detective Samuel Baxter via an out-of-state phone number.

The scammer may ask for personal information such as the person’s date of birth, Social Security number and address.

“Impersonating a law-enforcement officer is a serious crime, and it ruins the trust that people have for official law-enforcement officers,” Sheriff Eileen Behr said. “The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department does not make phone calls regarding details of civil matters, and we don’t collect personal information over the phone.”

Anyone who has been a victim of this crime should call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department at 215-278-3331 or email sheriffoffice@montcopa.org to report the incident.